Optimal

Physical Therapy

At Optimal Physical Therapy, we bring a different kind of physical therapy to Casper — one that’s based on you. Our philosophy of patient-centered, expert care means that you will receive a customized plan tailored specifically for your body, pain and goals. Your journey to wellness or management will be guided by a single practitioner who is knowledgeable about your condition and has built a relationship with you. Continuity is critical, so at Optimal Physical Therapy, you’ll never bounce from therapist to therapist. Instead, we’ve developed a unique structure for comprehensive, systematic recovery and care. You are at the center of our practice, and we’re excited to begin working with you.

Jeremy Bieber: PT, DPT, OCS

When Jeremy Bieber began practicing in 2005 in Casper, he found himself immediately dedicated to his patients, the field and the city in which he practiced. A Casper native, he experienced the benefits of physical therapy after a high school football injury, and from that point forward, he knew he wanted to bring high quality care to his hometown. Jeremy attended the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center where he earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT). Jeremy then returned to Casper to begin practicing; a short 3 years later he earned his Orthopedic Certification Specialty (OCS). Jeremy continues to seek growth and improvement of his skill set by regularly attending continuing education courses. In the treatment room, patients often don’t know what to expect during an appointment, so Jeremy proactively works to establish an open dialogue. Listening to patients and educating them on their pain and treatment are both critical components of his care.

Dustin Davidson: PT, DPT

Dustin Davidson never planned on starting his own practice after he earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska, but quickly after he began his career, he realized that the Casper community deserved more. Dustin uses functional mobility assessments and focuses largely on manual therapy. He uses each patient’s goal to design his treatment plan. This hands-on approach means that Dustin never begins an appointment with a definitive treatment plan; instead, he learns how the patient is feeling by assessing their current pain levels and functional activity restrictions. Using this information, each appointment serves as one step closer to achieving the patient’s goal.

Ashlyn Brennan: PT, DPT

Ashlyn Brennan knew she wanted to be a physical therapist since high school, but it wasn’t until starting her physical therapy education at Creighton University when she realized pediatric physical therapy was her passion. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in May of 2017 from Creighton University, choosing to move to Casper to be closer to her family and the mountains. Although she enjoys working with patients of all ages, she is hoping to build upon her passion for pediatrics here at Optimal Physical Therapy. She enjoys working with a variety of patients on strengthening, balance, and coordination for development of age appropriate milestones and gross motor skills to help children actively engage with their environment and peers.

Erik Hiipakka: PT, DPT

Erik’s first exposure to Physical Therapy began in high school while receiving treatment for knee injuries sustained during football. Erik decided that he would like to provide others in the community with this type of care. Erik dedicated the next seven years, following high school, to earning his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Touro University. Erik was determined to return to a smaller community, much like Casper, WY in order to be an active participant in the healthcare community. Erik is focused on orthopedic physical therapy, he offers the most current evidence based interventions and treatments. Erik maintains a high level of competency through personal research and continuing education courses. Erik has experience in various manual labor positions and has a passion for different hobbies including: hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and recreational sports; this helps him relate to his patients and provide them with the most personalized care possible. Erik has a comprehensive understanding from his patient’s vantage point, because he has also been on the receiving end of Physical Therapy treatments. Erik is compassionately dedicated and recognizes that his patient’s expectation is to improve functional abilities and decrease pain as soon as possible, and he strives to achieve this from day one. Following your initial evaluation through your entire care episode Erik strives to continue building upon these improvements and provide education on how to prevent future pain or injury at the affected area.

Elyse Johnson: M.S., CCC-SLP, CBIS

Elyse is a nationally certified and state licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). In addition, she is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS). A native New Yorker (Go Yankees!), Elyse was thrilled to be able to return to Wyoming with her family after completing her “tour” as an Army wife.

Elyse graduated with her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the State University of New York at Albany with a double major in archaeology & anthropology & worked across the country as an archaeologist which originally brought her to the great state of Wyoming. After 10 years of playing Indiana Jones, she returned to college and graduated with her Master of Science degree in communication disorders from the University of Wyoming (Go Cowboys!).

Following her husband’s Army career allowed Elyse to work in a variety of settings and with a variety of populations from birth through geriatric which provided her with a wealth of experience and diverse training. As a speech-language pathologist, I see children and adults with a variety of communication disorders, including those with cognitive-linguistic, aphasia, motor speech (dysarthria, apraxia), dysphagia (swallowing), voice, articulation and phonology disorders (speech sound problems), delayed or disordered language development, alternative-augmentative communication (AAC), and stuttering. Elyse has worked with a variety of populations including TBI, concussion, stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, dementia, congenital conditions including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, Down Syndrome, learning disabilities, and cleft lip/palate, among others.

Elyse has a passion for working with those individuals with traumatic brain injury and is the only SLP/CBIS in the state of Wyoming. In addition, to working as an SLP, she has lectured at universities and taught courses on TBI rehabilitation at hospitals across the country with a focus on cognitive rehabilitation. She prides herself on designing patient-specific plans of care with proven results and evidence-based therapies.

Nathan Stack: President of Operations

As the President of Operations Nathan Stack is responsible for running all facets of the business. Prior to joining Optimal, Nathan spent time in college focusing on Physical & Life Sciences, Computer Science, and Business. Having a diverse interest in many fields lead to various work experiences in everything from construction to IT, leading Nathan to a perfect fit to utilize all his skill sets at Optimal. He earned his BS degree from the University of Wyoming. He is dedicated to the successful growth of Optimal while focusing on exceptional patient centered service and maintaining a positive enjoyable culture amongst all his colleagues.